The AK-47 evolved into the most abundant firearm in history

Evidence

In 1949, the Russian Avtomat Kalashnikova, or AK-47, entered this mix of competing assault rifles. It combined the best of these other models into a frame that was virtually indestructible. The AK-47 used intermediate-caliber cartridges and had a curved, detachable magazine for smooth firing. The barrel was shorter than those of earlier assault rifles, and it was significantly lighter. Best of all, this rifle could be produced rapidly and cheaply. Simple to build, simple to use, and reliable under even the most extreme conditions, the AK-47 swept the field. Now, more than sixty years after its introduction, the AK-47 has spawned a family of related assault rifles that together are the most recognizable and abundant firearms on earth, with an estimated one hundred million units manufactured—one assault rifle for every seventy people on the planet. — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 504

Categorization

• QUESTION: One AK-ish rifle per 70 humans — worth chasing the current updated figure and distribution.
• XREF: connects to: Markets and battlefields select among rifle designs like natural selection acts on weapons; Human fortifications and artillery evolve via the same arms-race logic as animal weapons — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 525

Related

• Weapon evolution is judged by competition among designs, not human survival (similarity 0.80)
• Markets and battlefields select among rifle designs like natural selection acts on weapons (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• Markets and battlefields select among rifle designs like natural selection acts on weapons #epitomizes (0.85)
• Human fortifications and artillery evolve via the same arms-race logic as animal weapons #exemplifies (0.60) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 525